H eadlines
Cemeteries’ Limited Hours Prompt Complaints
L OCA L
SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF
the “thousands of families who
have loved ones buried at these
cemeteries,” Manhoff said.

“He doesn’t seem to connect
the dots and doesn’t under-
stand the impact that he’s
having on all of these people,”
she said.

Levy did not respond to
requests for comment.

Manhoff has been in contact
with state Rep. Jared Solomon
about the legal implications of
keeping the cemeteries’ gates
closed to the public.

A 2018 state law by state
Rep. Mark Gillen outlines the
requirement for “reasonable
visitation” opportunities for
loved ones.

“If a cemetery is shuttered,
for instance, that would be in
violation of the law,” Solomon
said. “​​A family ... could
take action in the Court of
Common Pleas to review what
‘reasonable’ means and if the
cemetery owner, whether that’s
a company or individual, is in
violation of the law.”
Solomon did not say
whether Har Nebo and Mount
Carmel’s policy violated the
law, but he did suggest that
action is being taken to address
the cemeteries’ conditions and
hours of operation.

When he’s spoken to Levy,
Levy has said the cemeteries
have fallen into financial trouble.

See Cemeteries, Page 20
M LE
OO LAB
DR AI
BE V
2 TS A
I UN
N M OW
OD L
EL EA
S SIN
OP G
EN !
COMMUNITY FRUSTRATIONS
toward Har Nebo and
Mount Carmel cemeteries in
Philadelphia have grown in
recent weeks, as the cemeteries
have closed their gates to
the public on all days except
Sunday, preventing families
from visiting loved ones.

Others are concerned about
Nebo and Mount Carmel have
shut out visitors almost entirely
in recent weeks, she said.

Manhoff ’s
godmother attempted to visit Har Nebo,
where her husband is buried,
last week. When she arrived,
the gates were closed, and there
was a sign posted saying that
visitations could only be made
by appointment only or on
Sundays. Cemetery owner Rich
Levy recently launched a new
U PPE R DU BL I N
! Volunteers participate in a 2017 Mount Carmel Cemetery cleanup
following the February vandalism
Courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
the ongoing inconsistent
maintenance of the cemeteries’
grounds. Mindy Manhoff, who moved
from the Philadelphia area to
Florida several years ago, flew
back last year to visit the grave
of her son, who died at age 3,
at Mount Carmel. When she
arrived, “the lawn was ridicu-
lously high and unkempt.”
In November, Bala Cynwyd
resident Arthur Scherr visited
Har Nebo to visit family grave
plots, and spent several minutes
looking for the grave markers
to point him in the direction of
his family members.

When Scherr went to the
cemetery’s office to find help,
he found it empty: “I don’t
know if there’s ever anybody in
that office,” he said.

More concerning
to Manhoff, however, is that Har
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM website for the cemetery with a
portal to make appointments,
but neither Manhoff nor Scherr
have used it to know whether
it’s effective.

According to Manhoff,
when she spoke with Levy, he
cited COVID as the reason
for poor upkeep and limited
hours, but when Manhoff or
her godmother have visited,
the cemetery has been nearly
empty. At other times, Levy has
said that the gates are closed
due to potential vandalism.

Mount Carmel graves were
vandalized in February 2017,
with 85 to 100 graves being
overturned. For those who have to
make a significant emotional
and physical effort to visit the
cemetery, Levy keeping the
gates closed is a disservice to
UPSCALE LIVING
STEPS ABOVE IT ALL!
Designed with luxury in mind, The Residences at the Promenade
off er lavish apartments situated above a beautiful town center.

• Park Trails
• Pool with Sundeck
• Dog Parks & Washrooms
• Media & Game Rooms
Amenities too many to mention!
• Bocce Court
• Fitness Center
Clean Juice • Sprouts Farmers Market • Lululemon
Fine Wine and Good Spirits! • Home Goods
Coming Soon!
Banfi eld • La Scala’s Fire • Trinity Physical Therapy
Smashburger • Carbon Health • Starbucks • Serenity Nail Bar
Welsh & Dreshertown Roads • Dresher, PA
833-238-1100 ResidencesUD.com
A Bruce E. Toll Community
JEWISH EXPONENT
DECEMBER 9, 2021
5